Geagea withdraws his ministers from the Hariri government

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced that he has asked his ministers to resign from the government of Saad Hariri, while the latter continues consultations to get the country out of its crisis, in the wake of continuous demonstrations since last Thursday to protest the economic situation.

Geagea said in a brief statement that the exceptional circumstances that the country is going through require exceptional circumstances, calling on ministers from the Lebanese Forces Party (4 ministers) to resign, claiming that the current government does not have the ability to make appropriate decisions, as he put it.

The head of the Lebanese Forces Party denied that there was any agreement with the Prime Minister regarding the resignation, noting that he did not touch any serious intention of Lebanese officials to address the current crises.

Geagea called for the formation of a new government far from the current government, while he warned Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah of the dangers of the resignation of the government, stressing his rejection of this resignation.

Consultations
Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said after meeting Hariri that they agreed to a final budget that does not include any taxes or additional fees and the cancellation of all projects submitted in this regard, in an attempt to calm widespread protests.

Hariri 's house witnessed internal meetings and continuous meetings in order to reach a solution to the current crisis, while Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Twitter, "there will be a reassuring solution to the crisis."

Hariri said in a tweet through his account on Twitter, that the center (his home) beehive today, where (held) internal meetings and other technical and communications and meetings away from the media, before the announcement of the approval of the new budget.

Hariri, in a speech to the Lebanese on Friday evening, announced that he would give himself 72 hours to get a decisive answer from his partners in governance and provide an answer to citizens and the international community, or else it will have other words.

On the other hand, Chairman of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt said in a statement on Al-Jadeed TV that Prime Minister Saad Hariri sent him "the proposed economic paper and we are in the process of answering."

Jumblatt added, "We reject any tax and any fees, yes to the unified progressive tax and maritime property and the abolition of all military attaches except for countries that assist the Lebanese army and yes to cancel the pensions of current and former MPs and ministers."

Demonstrations
Demonstrations and protest movements in Lebanon against the economic and social policies of the government continued. Some areas in Mount Lebanon and the Bekaa have seen gatherings of dozens of activists.

On the other hand, activists circulated video clips showing the armed men, exposed to demonstrators in southern Lebanon during their protest, in the southern city of Tire, injuring a number of them were injured.

In the northern city of Tripoli, there were demonstrations to protest against the economic and social conditions. The demonstrators chanted the slogan of the people who want to overthrow the regime and demanded the departure of the government and the improvement of living conditions.

In Akkar, northern Lebanon, a demonstration was held against the survival of the symbols of the current regime and protesting against the deteriorating living conditions.

Demonstrators chanted slogans condemning corruption and calling for combating it. They also stressed the need for comprehensive changes in the government's economic policies.

For its part, the leadership of the Lebanese army, in a statement called on the demonstrators to express their demands peacefully and facilitate the affairs of citizens.

On the other hand, the security forces released a number of people, who had been arrested on Friday evening in the demonstrations of Riad Solh Square in central Beirut.

Lebanon has been witnessing since Thursday evening, angry demonstrations at several points in Beirut and several cities, after the government announced the inclusion of new taxes in the budget next year, affecting the free telecommunications sector via mobile phone, and others, in order to provide new revenues to the state treasury.